More and more TV producers are focusing on creating content around social issues. Colors’ upcoming show Roop raises a very important question — does masculinity define the true man as one who never shows a weakness? Who doesn’t shed a tear? Who considers being sensitive a sign of being feminine? The show produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms Ltd, goes on air from May 28.
Yash Tonk, who plays a pivotal role along with Afaan Khan, Mitaali Nag and Vaishali Thakkar, says that Roop speaks about gender equality. “In today’s day and age, why do we still discriminate between boys and girls? Why do we think that certain duties like household work are restricted to girls whereas boys don’t need to do them? They can go and play instead. We are trying to raise these questions through our show and the children, but in an entertaining manner,” says the actor.
The actor says that he is portraying the character of a male chauvinist, who keeps the orthodox thoughts alive. “He thinks that men are supreme and women are just here to give birth to children. Maybe 100 years ago such thoughts might have prevailed but in today’s society, they sound weird,” he says.
In real life, Yash is father to lovely daughters. His elder daughter is 14 while the young one is just one-and-a-half years old. He says that his elder daughter is appearing for board exams and he always tells her, “You are studying for yourself, you are not studying for me or your mother. This is your life, my life was different and so was yours mother’s. You have to be independent and choose what you want to do in life. If you want to achieve something, give it your complete attention.”
The actor was last seen in Sony TV’s Jaat Ki Jugni, which went on air last year but was pulled off because of low TRPs.
The actor says that while signing a show, the production house is important to him. “If a well-known producer offers an interesting character, there is no reason to decline the show. It’s very difficult to get author-backed roles. The channel is also important along with the character,” he says, adding, “Sometimes you need good actors for challenging roles and many actors don’t fit into it.”
This is Yash’s second show with Rashmi Sharma and he says it’s always good to work with her. “We are doing so many shows which are doing well, so we must be doing something right. Having said that, I am one of those actors who goes to set, works and comes back.”
Yash has also worked extensively in films but for the past few years, he has become very selective about his work on the big screen. He says that he only signs a film if he finds it interesting. “Just yesterday, I got a film offer but I declined it because I am busy with Roop,” he says.
